If you’re looking to hold a business meeting or conference with international visitors or people from throughout New Zealand, you may be wondering where to find the right venue. Ideally you will be looking for a place that is accessible, meets your catering, size, and budget requirements, and suits the style of the occasion.

These days, many people are choosing a Nelson business meeting venue for its flexibility, quiet location, and range of function venue options. Nelson is situated at the top of the South Island of New Zealand, which is a great central location for both North and South Island delegates, and is easy to get to for international travellers.

Let’s take a better look at five reasons why the sunshine capital of New Zealand, Nelson, will make an ideal business meeting venue for you.

1. A range of venue sizes for a small meeting or a large function.

Whether you are looking to hold an intimate meeting with just a few important people, or a large seminar or conference for a wider audience, Nelson has a range of business function venues to suit you. Known for its hotels, historical buildings such as Broadgreen Historic House which was originally constructed in 1855, and award winning restaurants like Hopgoods and Boutereys, you can choose a venue to suit your style, budget, and size requirements.

2. Quiet, tranquil locations.

If you are holding a seminar, function or business meeting, you’ll know how important it is to have your audience or colleagues relaxed and focused. Having a comfortable Nelson business meeting venue in a tranquil rural setting means you are away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and you will have everyone’s full attention. If you prefer you could choose to spend time in one of the three national parks in the region – Kahurangi, Nelson Lakes and Abel Tasman.

3. Easily accessible.

If you have people coming to your meeting from all over New Zealand, Nelson is an easily accessible location for everyone. Avoiding the busier airports, your colleagues, guests or audience can simply fly in to Nelson airport from almost anywhere in New Zealand, and travel just a short distance to a nearby conference venue.

4. A choice of modern or historical venues to inspire any occasion.

Nelson is known for its history, but also for its artistic community. Many of the buildings feature beautiful, modern furnishings for a lavish affair, or select a more classic, historical building for serious business meetings.

5. Close to parking, restaurants and amenities.

In Nelson, you don’t have to worry about finding parking, rushing through busy traffic, or driving a long distance. Serviced by the fourth busiest airport in New Zealand, Nelson offers business meeting venues which are very close to the main city centre, hotels, restaurants, and cafes, so your conference or meeting attendees will spend minimal time in transit, and more time engaging with the topic at hand!

A Nelson business meeting venue will make sure your colleagues, clients or audience are well rested, comfortable and giving you their full attention. Have a look around for a venue that meets your specific style, size and budget requirements, and you’re sure to find the perfect fit!

If you’re in charge of planning corporate meetings for your company, the first decision is likely whether you’re going to have it within your own company’s office or if you should use an off-site venue for your corporate event. While the right choice depends on a number of factors, including the size of your company and your meeting’s agenda, here are some things that an off-site business meeting can provide your company.

Planning A Professional Presentation? Off-Site Business Meetings Can Provide Pro Audio/Visual Equipment

Have you ever attended a business meeting where more time was spent trying to get the audio/visual equipment up and running? This situation is all too common and is frustrating for both attendees and corporate meeting leaders. By holding your business meetings or corporate events at a location with professional audio/visual equipment, you’ll ensure that your time isn’t wasted trying to get the microphone or presentation equipment working.

Look For A Location With A Catering Staff That Can Hand Pick The Perfect Menu

Corporate events that last all day mean you’ll need to feed everyone. While it’s true that you can always order some pizza or call a local sandwich shop to arrange meals, this means you’ll need someone to take the time out of the business meeting to set everything up, as well as provide drinks, plates, napkins, silverware and more. Instead, having your corporate meeting off-site means that the site’s staff will be able to serve your employees whatever you’d like — forget about those old stand-bys, pizza or cold sandwiches. They’ll also be able to cater to attendees with allergies or food preferences, such as providing a meal for a vegetarian. Best of all, you won’t need to worry about setting the food out or cleaning up the mess when everyone is done eating. If you choose the right site that has a professional chef and a full catering staff, you’ll be able to provide your employees with cuisine that might just rival your city’s best restaurants.

Enough Space, Whether You’re A Group Of 10 Or 1000

If you’re planning a large corporate event, chances are good that you just don’t have the space within your location to house everyone. Many sites that are available for conference meetings will be able to handle your large group, without requiring a lot of set up on your end. These sites for business meetings can place chairs in rows for presentations or educational seminars or they can seat everyone at round tables that are perfect for meals or awards ceremonies.

If your conference meeting is on the smaller side, you don’t need to worry about having too much space with an off-site event. Many sites that are used for corporate events can tailor your space if you need something for a small group. As long as you choose the right site for your business meetings, you’ll still receive the same personal service.

Holding your conference or meeting at an off-site location means that you’ll conduct your business meeting with professional audio/visual equipment and a catered meal that your employees will appreciate. Whether you’re planning a corporate meeting for 10 or 1000, consider calling a venue that specializes in corporate events and business meetings to see how they can help.

Fast Food Restaurants may be a good place to get your team to bond, but are they good for business meetings? The informal atmosphere, casual approach and ‘meal’ environment may make your team feel relaxed and open to new ideas, but will they be able to focus or will distractions keep them from paying attention? Join me on a journey into unusual meeting ideas.

Planning a business meeting is generally straight forward. You have your equipment, agenda and goals all to hand as your staff troop in for another company up-date, but what about those who work out in the field? Or what if you want to shake your team up a little to help them think outside the box? Are fast food restaurants a good a place to hold your business meeting instead of the main office?

Obviously fast food restaurants exist for one reason: to serve up fast food so that hunger is satisfied quickly. The cuisine is not too refined and the cost fairly cheap. Table service is not always an option and the surroundings reflect a universal company theme. The atmosphere is relaxed but not too chilled and they don’t want you to linger overly long. There is usually canned music of questionable quality and often a family atmosphere. To a fast food franchise owner, faster turn-over equals faster profits.

So, fast food restaurants – are they good for business meetings?

1) If you are in a mainstream business and planning to move some boundaries or offload new concepts on your staff, a fast food restaurant could be used to your advantage. You could do away with ‘traditional’ business meeting mode and ease your staff into the meeting with an appropriate ice-breaker.

Here are a few pointers to help with business meeting productivity:

* Choose a location far away from competitors! You don’t want to offer them a birds-eye view of your plans.
* Choose the quietest period. Eg. Wait until kids are at school and mums at the shops!
* Pre-warn the manager if your team is large. Make sure there are vegetarian options on offer.
* Find the furthest place away from the evil music!
* Use the franchise model and environment to make comparisons with your new concepts.
* Thank the manager for the use of the premises – especially if you wish to return.
* Enjoy the event! Make sure you take all necessary equipment (agenda, pens, paper etc) so that the meeting can start promptly and end on time.

2) If you are a home business owner or MLM affiliate and time is of the essence, fast food restaurants make an ideal place to slot in a quick, informal business meeting to catch up with your team. Choose a location within easy reach of your team and local schools to aid a quick getaway. Make sure you have assembled all new products and information so that discussions can get underway quickly and end promptly. Enjoy the event!

Business meetings are an unavoidable part of business life, but who said they have to be dull and boring? The trick is to find different locations to turn them into Enjoyable Events! To achieve this, increase your skill base to leave ‘boring’ behind. Learn new methods and strategies that will take your business way out of everyday league and even help you achieve multiple streams of income. That way you won’t be dependent on one business idea alone. I hope “Fast food restaurants – are they good for business meetings? is helpful.